Between Christmas and New Year’s, I do what a lot of people do. I sit down and write out goals. Personal goals. Business goals. The whole life inventory.

 

On the personal side, I break things into buckets. Family comes first. What do I want this year to look like with my kids? With my wife? What does a good marriage year actually mean, not just sound like? Then finances. Am I saving? Paying down debt? Buying another property? Investing somewhere new? Friendships matter too. And health. What’s my target weight? More importantly, what am I actually going to do to get there?

 

That last part matters. Goals without a plan are just wishful thinking with better handwriting.

 

I do the same thing on the business side. How much do I want to earn? What should my average fee be? What do I want my average fee to be? What do I want my client mix to look like? Lender work versus private work. Attorneys. Estates. Divorce. And again, the key question is always the same. What are the steps to make this happen?

 

For years, I kept all of this in a Word document. I’d print it out, leave it on my desk, and maybe look at it once a quarter. It was better than nothing, but let’s be honest, that document mostly just sat there judging me.

 

Midway through this past year, I read Do What Matters Most, and it flipped the script for me. The big takeaway was simple. Big goals don’t get done by thinking about them harder. They get done by breaking them into actions you can actually put on a calendar.

 

So I tried something new.

 

I bought a simple weekly planner on Amazon called the Productivity Weekly Planner. Same layout every week. Monday through Friday. No fluff. No motivational quotes yelling at me. Just structure.

 

Each week forces you to take those big, ambitious goals and turn them into small, manageable steps.

 

For example, one of my goals is to host a non-lender panel event in the first quarter. Instead of writing that goal once and hoping it magically happens, I now schedule the work. One week might say “Create marketing flyer.” Another week is “Meet with colleagues to flush out event details.” As the event gets closer, the tasks get more specific. Outreach. Logistics. Follow-ups.

 

I do this for everything. Business goals. Personal goals. Health goals. When I flip the page to a new week, I already know exactly what I should be working on because the thinking was done upfront. No guessing. No scrambling. No pretending I’ll “get to it next week.”

 

The result is progress. Not perfect weeks. Not superhuman discipline. Just consistent forward motion.

If you want to grow your private appraisal business in 2026, this kind of structure matters. Goals are easy. Execution is where most people fall apart.

 

And if you want help growing your non-lender work, expanding your referral network, and staying accountable to real business goals, that’s exactly what the Appraisal Referral Network is built for.

 

Join the Appraisal Referral Network and stop hoping your goals happen. Put them on the calendar and make them happen.

This week, I wanted to share a recent experience I had while completing a divorce appraisal. I was engaged by the wife’s attorney, which is pretty typical for me. In these cases, the spouse is usually my client, and the attorney is added as an intended user. Once the appraisal is complete, I send the report to both the client and their attorney.

 

Sometimes, attorneys request to be the client instead, likely to protect the appraisal as attorney work product. But in most cases I’ve handled, the spouse remains the named client.

 

So, the day before the inspection, I received a text from the wife letting me know her husband would be present during the appointment. That’s fine, not unusual at all. I’ve done 115 divorce-related appraisals this year alone. It’s a major part of my practice, and I’ve learned to expect just about anything.

 

But this particular visit was different. The husband was openly confrontational from the start. He questioned everything: my process, my credibility, and what I would do if the value range ended up between $1 million and $1.5 million. It was clear he was uneasy about the process and likely hoping for a lower value, as he was planning to buy out his spouse. On the other hand, the wife naturally wanted a higher value. Neither reaction surprised me.

 

I was direct with him. I explained that I’m neutral. I don’t care who the value benefits. My job is to analyze the property, collect accurate physical and market data, and support my conclusions in or out of court. I told him he’s free to disagree with my findings or even hire his own appraiser. That’s his right. But I also explained that my process is transparent. I measure the property, note its features and condition, and use recent comparable sales with appropriate adjustments to develop my opinion of value. That’s it. No games.

 

Divorce work often means dealing with two parties who may be at odds. Sometimes, one doesn’t want you there. Sometimes, neither do. A few months ago, I showed up for an inspection with the husband, only to find out he never told his wife I was coming. She was upstairs sleeping and understandably alarmed when a stranger was walking around her home. It created an incredibly uncomfortable situation that could have been avoided with basic communication.

 

These are the realities of family law appraisals. If you’re getting into this niche, be ready for unexpected scenarios. Stay professional, stay neutral, and don’t let tense moments rattle your focus. Your job is to provide credible, supportable analysis no matter the circumstances.

 

If you’re an appraiser looking to grow your non-lender business and gain confidence in the divorce niche, join the Appraisal Referral Network. It’s a space for professionals who want to expand, collaborate, and build a steady stream of private work

One of the best ways to grow your non-lender appraisal business is by working with real estate agents. Agents have a constant need to prove value, whether that’s setting the right list price, keeping their cash buyers from overpaying, or helping a stubborn listing finally move. That’s where you come in.

 

Appraisals for agents are one of the easiest ways to become a go-to resource. You’re giving them exactly what they need: a third-party opinion of value that makes their job easier and protects their reputation.

 

For sellers: An appraisal helps set the right price from the start. Homes sell faster and closer to list price when they’re priced correctly. That means the agent gets paid sooner and with fewer headaches.

 

For cash buyers: When there’s no lender involved, there’s no safety net. A private appraisal reassures buyers they aren’t overpaying and helps the agent look smart in the process.

 

For stale listings: Every agent has one. When a property has been sitting too long, an appraisal can be the tool that re-sets expectations and gets it sold.

 

It also reduces the agent’s liability. Instead of being the one to “guess” the right price, they can point to an independent appraisal. If anyone questions the number later, the agent can say, “We brought in a licensed appraiser to determine value.”

Real Example: How It Works

Here’s an actual appraisal I completed for an agent who uses my services regularly.

I researched the neighborhood and recommended a listing price of $739,900, with an opinion of value around $720,000. Within the first week on the market, the home had six offers, all right around my opinion of value. The property went under contract quickly with a cash offer at $735,000.

 

Here’s what the agent emailed me:

“Got 6 offers on this property and we are under contract with a cash offer at $735K! Thanks for your help! See you soon!”

That’s the kind of success story you can bring to agents in your own market.

How Big This Niche Really Is

To give you an idea of the potential, so far this year (and we’re only in October) I’ve completed 75+ appraisals for listing purposes from agents. That’s not counting cash buyer assignments or stale listing work. Just listing appraisals alone account for 26% of my business.

 

If over a quarter of my business is coming from agent-focused work, that should tell you how powerful this non-lender niche can be when you start marketing it.

The Takeaway for Appraisers

Agents want to get properties sold, protect their clients, and protect themselves. Market directly to those pain points. Show them how hiring you for an appraisal will:

  • Price their listings correctly

  • Help their buyers make smart decisions

  • Revive properties that have been sitting too long

Most agents don’t even realize appraisers offer this service. Educate them. Be the solution to their problem.

 

And if you’re serious about building more non-lender business, join the Appraisal Referral Network at ReferAppraisals.com. You’ll connect with appraisers across the country who are already getting steady referrals for divorce, estate, and agent-focused work. Don’t sit on the sidelines, this is where the growth is happening.

In my last post, I shared how I showed up to court, prepped, waited, and then never even got called to testify because the case settled. That’s the nature of expert witness work. You block off the time, you prepare, and sometimes it all ends before you say a single word on the stand.

 

Well, I wasn’t done yet. I had two more appearances right after that, and both reminded me how unpredictable this part of the business can be.

 

Court Appearance #2: The Nine-Minute Testimony

The second time around, I drove about 45 minutes to the courthouse. I was scheduled to go first, and a lot of the time the attorney will call you out of turn so you don’t have to wait. Not this day. I sat there for just under two hours, and by then it was lunchtime. We broke for about an hour, and the attorney told me I’d be the first after the break. I grabbed a quick sandwich, and when I got back, I was called into the courtroom a few minutes later.

 

My testimony only took 9 minutes. That was it. The attorney asked a few straightforward questions about my four appraisals, what methods I used, what I concluded, and some quick clarifications about assessed values. The opposing counsel only asked about the level of observation I had done. Nothing tricky, nothing stressful. Afterward, I dictated my notes into my phone on the drive home so I’d have everything fresh for my workfile. They do not provide a transcript.  

 

Even though I probably could have billed more, I stuck with four hours. That’s the balance with this kind of work in my opinion. Sometimes the testimony itself is short, but the waiting, the prep, and the expertise you bring are what you’re being paid for.

 

Court Appearance #3: Zoom Trial That Never Happened

The third “appearance” was scheduled to be over Zoom. The client retained me with my standard two-hour Zoom fee, and I had blocked off the time. Then, the day before, I got a text: “We won’t need you tomorrow.” Either the case settled or the opposing side stipulated to my values. In other words, they agreed with my appraisals.

 

No testimony, but it wasn’t a loss to my day since I had other work waiting. I decided to cut this client a break and returned his retainer. A few of my peers gave me flack for it, but sometimes I make calls like that because it’s my business to run, and in this case, it felt like the right thing to do.

 

Lessons for Appraisers Thinking About Expert Witness Work

If you’ve never testified before, I won’t sugarcoat it. It’s stressful. The nerves don’t completely go away, even with experience. But the more you do it, the more manageable it becomes.

 

Here’s my advice:

 

  • Prepare thoroughly. Know your report inside and out. Be able to recall the property details without flipping through every page.

  • Keep it simple. Judges don’t want a lecture on appraisal theory. Break it down clearly and directly.

  • Value your time. Whether you testify for 9 minutes or never get called at all, your preparation, travel, and availability are worth billing for as you see fit.

Expert witness work isn’t the majority of my business, just a few percent. This year I’ve only had three trials come up. But when it does, it can be a lucrative and rewarding niche. It also builds strong relationships with attorneys, which can lead to steady non-lender assignments down the road.

 

If you’re an appraiser looking to grow your non-lender business or have questions about expert witness work, feel free to reach out. And don’t forget, the Appraisal Referral Network is a great place to connect with appraisers nationwide, share referrals, and expand your business. Learn more at ReferAppraisals.com.

If you’re looking to grow your non-lender appraisal business, stop waiting for the phone to ring and start meeting people. I know that sounds basic, but that’s because it is. One of the most overlooked (and underused) ways to grow your business is through networking.

 

And by networking, I don’t mean liking a few posts on LinkedIn and calling it a day. I mean real, in-person, get-out-of-your-office-and-shake-some-hands networking.

 

For appraisers, it’s easy to get siloed. We’re often working alone, grinding through reports, and focused on turn times and comps. But if you want to grow the non-lender side of your business like divorce, estate, probate, or pre-listing work, you’re going to need to build relationships with people who can refer you work. That means attorneys, agents, financial advisors, investors, and other professionals.

 

So what is networking, really?

Ivan Meisner, founder of BNI (one of the world’s largest business networking groups), defines networking as “the process of developing and activating your relationships to increase your business, enhance your knowledge, and expand your sphere of influence or serve the community.” He also makes it very clear: networking is about farming, not hunting.

 

If you’re showing up to an event just to pass out business cards and pitch yourself, you’re doing it wrong. Real networking means building relationships—slowly, intentionally, and with the mindset of helping others, not just scoring leads.

 

Here’s what that looks like for me:

 

About 10 years ago, I joined a local networking group. We meet every Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. (yes, that’s brutal) and we’re done by 8:30 a.m. But that weekly commitment changed my business. During the week, I schedule one-on-one meetings (we call them “one-to-ones”) with members of the group to learn more about them, what they do, who they serve, and how we can help each other. My chapter has about 45 members, so there’s always someone new to sit down with.

 

We also meet outside of our regular meetings. Once a month, the real estate-related members of the group—agents, appraisers, mortgage folks, etc.—gather socially, usually at a bar. We swap stories, share referrals, and build real relationships. I also visit other chapters in the area to meet even more professionals and expand my network.

 

Over the years, I’ve taken on leadership roles in the group. I’ve been chapter president, education coordinator, team leader for our “power team,” and now I’m serving as VP (which includes way too much paperwork). But each of those roles has deepened my connections and increased my visibility. If you’re going to do it, get involved.

 

Bottom line: networking is about showing up, following up, and being consistent. It takes time. It takes effort. But it works.

 

If you’re an appraiser and you’ve been putting off networking because it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient, here’s your sign: it’s time to start. Go to a local business group. Join a chapter. Shake some hands. Ask questions. Build relationships. That’s how you grow your non-lender business.

 

If you need help getting started or want to plug into a group that’s already focused on non-lender work, check us out at ReferAppraisals.com That’s what we’re all about—helping appraisers connect, grow, and earn more from private work.

Why I Love Being an Appraiser – A Valentine’s Day Tribute to the Profession

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love—whether it’s for family, friends, or, in my case, a career that has given me freedom, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. While some may be exchanging roses and chocolates today, I’m taking a moment to reflect on why I love being an appraiser.

1. The Freedom to Build My Own Business

One of the greatest gifts of the appraisal profession is the ability to be my own boss. I set my schedule, choose my clients, and decide the direction of my business. Whether it’s focusing on private appraisals, lending work, or expanding into new markets, the flexibility is something I truly cherish.

2. The Variety—No Two Days Are the Same

Every property has a story, and every day brings something new. One day, I might be appraising a waterfront mansion, and the next, I could be valuing a run down property at the end of its useful life. The ever-changing nature of the job keeps things interesting and engaging.

3. Helping People in Meaningful Ways

Appraisers play a crucial role in some of life’s biggest transitions—whether it’s helping a family settle an estate, guiding a couple through appraising their home in a divorce, or assisting a homeowner in understanding their property’s value. Knowing that my expertise helps people make informed financial decisions makes this career deeply rewarding.

4. The Challenge of Problem-Solving

Appraising isn’t just about crunching numbers—it’s about uncovering the truth. Every assignment is a puzzle, requiring me to analyze data, compare properties, and interpret market trends. I love the intellectual challenge that comes with determining fair market value.

5. The Camaraderie of the Appraisal Community

The appraisal industry may seem like a solo profession, but I’ve found an incredible network of colleagues who share insights, support, and mentorship. Whether it’s through professional groups, conferences, or my own Appraisal Referral Network, I love being part of a community that helps each other grow.

6. The Ever-Evolving Nature of the Market

Real estate is constantly shifting, and as an appraiser, I’m always learning. Market trends, economic factors, and property values change, keeping me on my toes. Staying informed and adapting to these changes makes the profession exciting.

7. The Independence & Earning Potential

Unlike traditional 9-to-5 jobs, being an appraiser allows me to control my income based on how much or how little I want to work. The ability to scale my business and explore new opportunities—like referral appraisals, private work, or expert witness testimony—makes this career even more rewarding.

Conclusion

On this Valentine’s Day, while others are celebrating love in different ways, I’m taking a moment to appreciate a profession that has given me so much. The ability to work independently, solve complex problems, help people, and continuously learn makes appraising more than just a job—it’s a passion.

Want to Experience More Love for Being an Appraiser?

Head over to the Appraisal Referral Network at ReferAppraisals.com and join a thriving community of nearly 1,000 appraisers who love sending and receiving non-lender referrals. Expand your business, grow your network, and fall in love with appraising all over again!

As appraisers, we all encounter moments where our work is called into question. Whether it’s a misunderstanding or simply a client’s disagreement with the valuation, how we handle these situations can greatly impact the outcome of the conversation—and even our professional reputation. It’s easy to get defensive, but in those moments, maintaining professionalism and prioritizing customer service is essential. Recently, I had an experience that reminded me of the importance of handling client concerns with care and patience.

 

In a recent appraisal for a divorce case, I provided the property’s value as of the date of filing in 2023. Shortly after submitting the report, I received an email from the client saying my valuation was too high. The reason? They questioned why I had included a new roof, which had been added just a few months prior. My initial reaction was frustration, and I couldn’t help but think, “Did you even read the report? You probably just glanced at the value and the front photo.”

 

As tempting as it was to respond immediately, I knew better than to react out of irritation. Instead, I decided to wait until the next day to cool off, understanding that both the client and I were likely feeling a bit annoyed. This moment of pause gave me time to approach the situation with a clear head.

 

When I finally replied, I kept it professional and customer-focused. I acknowledged their concerns, writing, “I understand you disagree with my valuation, and I’d be happy to go over the appraisal with you. Feel free to call me anytime.” Then, instead of diving into an argument, I calmly pointed out exactly where in the report it stated that the roof was *not* included, and referenced the relevant pages for clarity.

 

The client’s response? “I understand now, thanks for responding and addressing my concerns.” A simple, calm conversation had diffused the situation and led to a better outcome for both of us.

 

Conclusion: Keep Your Cool and Lead with Service

 

In any profession, it’s normal to encounter disagreements or concerns from clients. But how you respond—whether with frustration or professionalism—can make all the difference. When you pause, take a breath, and lead with customer service, you not only resolve the issue more effectively, but you also build stronger, more trusting relationships with your clients. Remember, every interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to quality service. And in the long run, that approach will always pay off.

 

If you want to learn more, check out our latest podcast at https://rss.com/podcasts/brews-appraisal-views/1717441. For more information about joining the 600+ members of the Appraisal Referral Network, visit referappraisals.com.

 

Dan Lindeman

Appraisal Referral Network



As appraisers, we’re constantly navigating various forms of influence and pressure (Cue Under Pressure by Queen) Whether it’s a lender pushing for a quick turnaround, an agent trying to nudge you toward a contract price, or the pressure to keep the business flowing, it can be tough to manage. This week, I want to discuss how to handle situations where a client attempts to influence or pressure you, and share how I personally deal with these challenges.

 

I’m currently working on a couple of divorce assignments for a new family law attorney. This is probably my third or fourth assignment with their office. The cases involve two houses—one occupied by the husband and the other by the wife. During our conversation, the attorney mentioned, “I need the husband’s property value to be high and the wife’s to be low.” 

 

Now, some appraisers might see this as unacceptable and choose to withdraw from the assignments, which is entirely valid, and I support that decision. However, I take a different approach. I see this as an opportunity to educate my client to prevent future misunderstandings. I explained to the attorney that my role is to remain independent, impartial, and objective. The market data will dictate the values, and it’s not my job to ensure that the results favor their client. If they’re looking for an appraiser who can be influenced, that’s not me. 

 

I didn’t worry about how the attorney might react. If they decided to find a new appraiser, I would simply add them to my “Do Not Accept” list. But if they understood my stance, we wouldn’t face this issue again. In this case, the attorney accepted my point, and we moved on.

 

I apply the same approach when dealing with one spouse who might be standoffish because I was hired by the other. I make it clear that I’m independent and the value will fall where it may, whether it benefits them or their ex. This usually helps open up the conversation.

 

As appraisers, we’re always the neutral party, and it’s our responsibility to rise above any pressure to maintain our independence, impartiality, and objectivity. Often, clients may not fully understand what an appraiser does or what’s appropriate to say during the process. It’s up to us to educate them on what is and isn’t acceptable. So, the next time a client or customer tries to influence you, how will you respond?

 

If you’re interested in connecting with local appraisers and generating additional income, consider joining the Appraisal Referral Network at ReferAppraisals.com—membership is free. Additionally, if you’re looking for practical strategies to grow your non-lender business and break free from lender pressure, we’re here to support you.

 

Dan Lindeman

Appraisal Referral Network

ReferAppraisals.com